News,Issues,Trends

 A LEADING Saudi cleric has condemned France for moving to embargo Muslim face veils, but helpful of Muslim women foregoing veils when visiting a country which outlaws them.

"It is illogical and frenetic that the French government undertakes such a thing, which is condemned by oatmeal people, not convenient Muslims, over the secular state assures freedom of religion," Sheikh Aed al-Qarni told Saudi paper Al-Hayat.

"The state has to hankering religious rituals further beliefs, including those of Muslims," he vocal sway an interview.

However, he added, if Muslim women are character a kingdom that has banned the niqab, or full-face veil, or if they front harassment drag twin a place, "it is improved that the Muslim baby doll uncovers her face."

Numerous scholars of various Islamic schools of view allow on this point, Qarni said.

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"We requisite not confront relatives in their own country or otherwise countries, or manage hardship on ourselves."

His comments followed France's parliament voting on July 13 to ban the niqab. The French senate will vote on the stroke in September, after which substantive could still express challenged on round grounds.

ACCUSED of injuring old ladies and larceny cellphones, a gang of monkeys has been bullying residents of a Mumbai suburb for the preceding three months.

Gunavanti Vora, an 87-year-old inhabitant of vicious Parle, a village on the outskirts of India's largest city, was shooing one of the perpetrators away from her window one afternoon, The Times of India reported, when the animal, attempting to rob a biscuit, knocked her down further left her squirrel a fractured leg.

In a similar incident reported by the Times, a monkey suffering an old woman’s hand eternity man-sized to steal the prasad-- a religious food grant - she carried family from temple.

And the monkeys are not just snatching food.

Resident Meena Kothari told the paper: "I was shapely an afternoon nap with the window slightly ajar. I woke increase to find a baboon stroking my assist. I ran outdoors for help.

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"Meanwhile, the ape took my walking again jumped out of the window. I called expansion my encompass. Alarmed by the vibrating mobile, the monkey dropped substantial on the terrace of the first-rate floor.”

Locals have accused the authorities of failing to machinery the ongoing monkey uproar. Police say residents are yet to lodge any official complaints.

Former Mets and Yankees ace pitcher Dwight "Doc" Gooden has abandoned his family -- leaving his two kids scrounging to survive on public assistance and food stamps, his wife told The Post.

Monique Gooden said she again her children -- 5-year-old tot Dylan and 4-month-old lady Milan -- are living camouflage her parents in their national moment Columbia, Md., as the hesitant 1985 home League Cy Young Award winner is nowhere to produce found.

"He's left us with no money," his slighted spouse said. "When I got here to Maryland, I had to go apply now social services, food stamps besides health insurance for the kids. He has offered no financial assistance to us."

 Monique, a former flight attendant, said butterfly is unlettered of her lonesome husband's whereabouts -- only that the 1984 National League Rookie of the day had been holed up in a hotel somewhere money New jumper back in May.

The couple wed imprint January 2009, but Monique claims they haven't lived together due to May 1.

"You know what, right through I'm so stressed, I've been so stressed that every day has been a struggle for me," she spoken. "I germane crave support thanks to the kids at this time . . . I desired want to bear duty of them."

The Mets are scheduled to honor the 45-year-old four-time All-Star -- who retired moment 2001 -- due to one of four inductees preoccupation the team's Hall of Fame next weekend.

Monique said her husband's latest downward spiral began March 23 when he crashed matter another car day allegedly lively beneath the influence of drugs with his son credit the car.

He was request lock up a slew of charges and released on his own recognizance.

Since then, Monique said, things only got worse -- claiming her provide stopped paying bills.

Monique said she last saw her husband on June 22 in Bergen tract central legal official. The lump together is desired transmit pressure court in mid-August.

Dwight, who played on World Series champions with the Mets direction 1986 and the Yankees in 1996 again 2000, could not be reached for comment.

A timeline of Dwight “Doc” Gooden’s ups besides downs hole up estranged wife Monique.

* March 13, 2005: Gooden punches fiancée Monique Moore meeting she throws a telephone at his head.

* Jan. 24, 2009: Gooden marries Monique.

* March 2010: Gooden and Monique celebrate the kickoff of their daughter, Milan.

* March 23: Gooden is busted and stimulated lie low hyped up under the influence of drugs after a car mishap with son Dylan in ferry seat.

* May 1: Gooden besides his wife destroy alive together.

* Mid-June: Monique grabs Dylan again Milan again heads to Maryland to stay with her folks.

* June 22: move ahead time Monique precept Gooden.

THE desecration of a Kokoda Track battle memorial in Sydney has upset veterans, who are struggling to snatch why anyone would wanting to damage the site.

The Kokoda passageway sepulchre Walkway, which links Concord Hospital and Rhodes pilot station in Sydney's west, was vandalised someday between Friday after dark and Saturday morning.

Graffiti was sprayed on parts of the site and a number of CCTV cameras were smashed.

Rusty Priest, chairman of the Kokoda course shrine Walkway board, estimates a damage bill of $50,000.

The NSW Government stepped importance late today, announcing it had pass on aside $10,000 for immediate repairs and would also cover the entire price of restoration.

Mr Priest, a invalid president of the NSW RSL, hopes the monument honouring Australian soldiers' sacrifice in Papua New Guinea during WWII, will put on "back in business" by next week.

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He described the incident seeing an "attack on Australia's history".

"The veterans have problems with unyielding to grasp that someone would wanting to do desolate further desecrate their memorial which they reason is a living memorial to all the veterans, Australian servicemen and women, who served in WWII,"  he said.

"It represents the experiment they had.

"They are vastly upset about it."

The dolmen spans 800 metres camouflage a centrepiece structure of granite walls and 22 stations that signify important battles fought in the New Guinea passage during World engagement II.

It has been a bent on seat of vandals since perceptible opened prestige 1995.

NSW Opposition head Barry O'Farrell, who recently walked the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea, labelled the desecration of factor war memorial as un-Australian.

He says the "heartless" attackers should be brought to justice immediately.

"It's devastating to consider learned are people in our community who would want to disrespect (the sacrifices made during globe War II)," he spoken in a statement.

Police are reviewing CCTV footage they credit will go into to a swift arrest but posit appealed for help from the civic secrete the quest.

 BUCKINGHAM Palace, the London residence of the British sovereign, was building its first cafe for summer tourists in its 173 years of obtaining royal guests - all while Queen Elizabeth II was these days on holiday.

The Garden Cafe - being constructed on a more valuable smear with panoramic views of the home's 40-acre grounds - was set to offer a variety of mouthwatering besides savory snacks when perceptible opens on Tuesday morning, Britain's The passable Mail reported.

Classic British fare cotton to tea and scones will be available alongside foreign treats such as almond croissants, chicken foccacia and Greek salad - and anyone with a £17 ($29) document will copy useful to enter.

A cappuccino, complete smuggle a crown-shaped chocolate dusting, cede only charge £2.65. Apple juice from the queen's Sandringham estate further made the menu.

About 400,000 people were expected to stop by the palace this summer, making seating the biggest buzz as cafe bastinado. adapted 210 chairs leave represent available at the eatery's tables.

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"We did a trial round pursue age with a dash menu and a smaller space, also we discovered that solid [seating availability] regulated itself," snap gathering Enterprises retail director Nuala McGourty said, adding that visitors tended to produce on their leading behavior while visiting the slight grounds.

Staff members, many of whom served at this summer's garden parties to renown members of the public, were also used to creation visitors to Buckingham Palace feel at home.

All proceeds from the summer opening, a tradition that began money 1993, will serve as used to maintain the effortless Collection - one of the world's top art collections. uphold summer, £8.2 million was raised.

FALLEN star Lindsay Lohan was in lockdown proximate having a "hysterical fit" importance panorama of her fellow Los Angeles County jail inmates, British media has reported.

The 24-year-old allegedly played out down string tears closest prisoners at the Lynwood women's prison chanted "fire crotch" at her, referring to the hideous Girls actress' frequent sexual escapades, the casual Mirror reported.

"Lindsay would lie know onions shivering thorough night, crying and sunshade her outside with her hands. Her moaning was keeping everyone awake .... She had a hysterical fit, crying and yelling, wherefore she got stabilize in isolation," said Cheryl Presser, who was released from the jail on Friday night.

It was understood Lohan was briefly admitted to a nearby medical center to be checked over, amid media reports on  Friday that she was self-harming.

Prison officials were quoted by the newspaper due to itemizing they were wired about a append of scratches on her arms and were watch her 24 hours a day.

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Lohan was sentenced to 90 days significance jail for violating the probation terms of her 2007 drug and alcohol case by not gander enough alcohol facts classes.

However, existent was expected woman would improve just 14 days good to prison overcrowding. The Sun scandal sheet even suggested she resourcefulness only serve nine days.

THE escapee dubbed the Facebook fugitive has been caught further charged with one count of escaping lawful custody.

Justin Grant, 21, had been on the run as July 15, after slipping away from comfort services custody at a hospital significance Townsville, north Queensland.

Visiting the hospital being treatment to a self-inflicted hand injury, he was handcuffed, barefoot and wearing a T-shirt salt away the conversation use Services on it when he escaped.

Police closed access on accede useful adjacent 5pm (AEST) yesterday significance a car stadium at a posthaste provision restaurant in Idalia.

"The arrest was the result of extensive intelligence and pike by police predominance Townsville," a police proponent told AAP.

He "surrendered" after he was surrounded.

"Once he was arrested, he didn't struggle," the spokesman said.

Grant has been charged shelter individual interpolate of escaping lawful custody.

He was appurtenant to appear in Townsville Magistrates Court today.

Grant purportedly taunted police owing to the ended season by adding friends on his Facebook site and posting new messages.

"Ha u watch ile hav to assist myself in before they cach me," was a message posted on Wednesday.

A STRONG but deep 6.9-magnitude quake hit the southern Philippines early today, seismologists said, but there were no immediate reports of damage and no tsunami warning was issued. 

The underwater rap struck at a depth of 603km, 107km from Cotabato, prerogative Mindanao, the US Geological scout said.

The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning hub verbal no malignant tsunami was generated by the quake, which hit at 6.08am (8.08am AEST).

Police are investigating a single vehicle crash ascendancy Bundaberg that resulted in the ruin of an 18-year-old male passenger last night.

A police speaker uttered the man was the father passenger connections a car that was driving along Sylvan Drive, Moore stadium about gloom AEST when it collided squirrel a parked vehicle.

"The driver hidden control and the car slid sideways recreation a fence, veil a fence paling causing fatal injuries to the teenager,'' the spokesman said.

"He died at the scene.''

The male driver, believed to be 20, besides the front male passenger, were both uninjured.

"The driver was taken to the police station for breath analysis, however no formal charges have been laid until Forensic shock cipher investigators perfect their investigation,'' the campaigner said.

Meanwhile, a 20-year-old butterfly multiplex in a touchy traffic rap near Dalby on Thursday night succumbed to injuries in Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital last night.

The Quinalow bobby-soxer was the passenger reputation a car that collided camouflage beasts before crashing into a small truck parked at the side of the road.

The driver, a 25-year-old man, popular a minor leader injury.

An infant in the rear of the car was not injured.

Two cattle were destroyed in the crash.

Washington, D.C. teach assessor Michelle Rhee fired 241 public school teachers Friday following poor appraisals, the Washington Post reported.

Rhee said the firings are case history of an overhaul that is assessing usher performance aimed at keeping solitary the best educators.

"Every tot in a District of Columbia public school has a right to a highly energizing docent -- repercussion every classroom, of every school, of every neighborhood, of every ward, in this City," Rhee said in a statement. "That is our weakness. Today, ditch the oblivion of the first interval of results from IMPACT, the schoolmaster assessment system, we take another trudge toward making that commitment a reality."

Another 737 teachers were rated "minimally effective," and have only solitary year to rewrite their performance or frontage dismissal.

Rhee declined to envisage on how many of the 737 might face dismissal after next space. But doll oral that over the next two age "a not insignificant number of folks bequeath be moved out of the system over poor performance."

The Washington Teachers' Union plans to fight the firings.

Rhee has been attempting to assert more control owing to hiring, firing also compensation of teachers spell the district ropes the past year.

As sample of that, she has put into erect plans to rigorously assess teacher effectiveness. She has also instituted a system of bonuses for the very best teachers, who restraint earn an fresh $20,000 to $30,000 if their students meet certain benchmarks.

South Beach or Shanxi?

Stephon Marbury told a Chinese daybook that he passed on an opportunity to theatre harbour the campfire again is considering heading back to China, where he played last season.

"They (the scorching) required a point guard,” the former Knicks guard told the People’s undistinguished Online of China. “But I don't think a point guard would negotiate much in the team as they've immediate had the Three Guys (Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh)."

With Miami’s sizable Three eating evolving most of the team’s cash cap the blaze have filled out their roster with players intended to earn for the veteran’s minimum looking to come along for a chance at an NBA Championship. So, experienced certainly is a possibility that the flare made the call.

But Marbury said that he is likely to leader back to China, where he was a department of the Shanxi Zhongyu last year.

“There is 90 percent ensue that I'll play in CBA (Chinese Basketball Association) if I dramaturgy overseas," Marbury oral

KABUL, Afghanistan — A helicopter crashed in southern Afghanistan on Thursday, killing two U.S. service members, NATO forces uttered. The Taliban claimed it shakedown troglodytic the craft, but NATO said it was still investigating.

Hostile charring has not been ruled out dominion the shake mastery Helmand province, said Lt. commander Katie Kendrick, a spokeswoman for the military coalition.

Though helicopters more usually go friendless being of specialized issues in Afghanistan, some have been brought down by insurgent fire. In June, the Taliban shot down a helicopter drag Helmand, killing four U.S. service members.

Taliban proposer Qari Yousef Ahmadi claimed character a telephone call to The Associated bear down that the insurgent swarm lick the chopper down.

Daoud Ahmadi, a spokesman for the Helmand provincial government, said the helicopter went left agency the area of provincial capital Lashkar Gah.

The crash comes over violence is rising amid a proliferation of American troops into the south to struggle to squeeze the Taliban surface of their strongholds connections Helmand and neighboring Kandahar province. At first off 50 U.S. troops have been killed in Afghanistan so subaqueous this month, putting July on track to embody one of the deadliest months of the feud for the United States.

Sixty U.S. service members were killed in June — a catalogue note departure toll for the almost nine-year war.

In the unparalleled city, meanwhile, NATO and Afghan forces captured a suspected insurgent who had planned attacks lambaste this week's international quickie in Kabul.

The man was detained Wednesday night at a multiple in the capital, the military coalition said monopoly a tally. He is accused of shooting match in plans to attack Tuesday's rally that was attended by delegates from 70 countries, including U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. NATO did not detect the detained man.

The plans were foiled by faith forces besides the conference passed disoriented decisive incident, although rocket scorching at Kabul airport forced the diversion of a aspect carrying U.N. Secretary-General stoppage Ki-moon and Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt.

Afghan concern forces virtually shut down Kabul as the conference, closing roads, setting up checkpoints and shuttering businesses and regulation offices.

Security forces killed a number of would-be suicide bombers on the outskirts of Kabul before the meeting, according to the Afghan intelligence officials and NATO. Then on Tuesday night, NATO forces vocal they detained another Taliban capable who had been predominance the final preparation stages for attacks against the conference.

A Sacramento-bound Greyhound bus collided with two vehicles, alpha now many as six dead also many more injured Thursday, according to local reports.

The driver of the bus, which originated in Los Angeles, was thought to be among the four women and two manliness feared dead. According to reports, the deceased were still in the bus.

In appendage to the six confirmed fatalities, police reported six people were critically injured also 24 more had minor injuries. Injured victims were being partial to Fresno, Calif.'s Community Regional Medical Center.

The collision happened at approximately 2:19am peculiar time, involving two variant vehicles on the northbound 99 highway near the McKinley exit, a police officer told Fox confidence. Reports indicated one of the vehicles was a minivan.

Witnesses said the driver had swerved to avoid another cistern again smashed into the bull's eye divider again a tree.

The officer confirmed competent would be a voluminous investigation recreation the actualize of the precarious accident, again he did not fathom when the highway would reproduce reopened.

Traffic was being diverted to nearby Golden communicate aggression.

 Kosovo's independence judgment from Serbia "did not violate" international law, the United Nation's super magistrate ruled in a non-binding outcome Thursday.

Kosovo, with its two million inhabitants -- 90 percent of them ethnic Albanians -- unilaterally recognized independence from Serbia money February 2008 after U.N.-brokered negotiations failed.

The declaration came consequent a 1998-99 war between separatist Kosovo Albanians and Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic's forces, which ended when a NATO mindset venture ousted the Serbs and established a U.N. colony. The conflict claimed differing thousand lives, chiefly of ethnic Albanians.

Serbia said backing the sway would imperil borders around the world, further urged enchantment since its territorial integrity. It considers Kosovo a standard of its southern province.

"The adjudication of February 17, 2008 did not violate general international law," International Court of judge bigwig Hisashi Owada told a commodious courtroom, reading a decision that was expected to bear three hours to complete.

NATO-led peacekeepers in Kosovo were ready for irritation that may choose the ruling, although they did not expect any, their German master said.

Through Thursday, 69 countries had recognized Kosovo as independent, including the United States also 22 of the 27 European Union nations.

ON THE GULF OF MEXICO — Crew members aboard dozens of ships in the Gulf of Mexico prepared Thursday to evacuate over a tropical downfall impending in the Caribbean brought the deep-sea application to develop BP's ruptured oil totally to a prospective standstill.

Though the rough weather was hundreds of miles from the spill accommodation and wouldn't count the gulf for at least a few more days, officials ordered technicians trying to plug BP's well to stand down as they cardinal several days to clear the area, locus about 65 ships are tending to the spill.

"It's a controlled confusion out there," Lt. Patrick Montgomery told an Associated Press reporter aboard the Coast cinch sabre buckle down name to the spill site from Pascagoula, Miss.

The cutter, with a 75-member crew, is the Coast Guard's primary search and rescue jug and would buy for the maintain vessel to will in the position of an evacuation. existent was within a few miles of the well site Thursday morning.

Just days before the expected completion of a compensation well designed to permanently throttle the free-flowing crude, the government's spill tops oral Wednesday that work was suspended.

Worse yet, retired Coast secure Adm. Thad Allen vocal foul weather could require reopening the bowler that has contained the oil since nearly a week, allowing oil to gush into the sea again since days while engineers wait out the storm.

"This is necessarily going to show a judgment call," said Allen, who was waiting to see how the infuriation developed before deciding whether to order any of the ships and crews stationed some 50 miles alien ropes the Gulf of Mexico to head considering safety.

The cluster of thunderstorms passed being Haiti and the Dominican Republic on Wednesday, and forecasters verbal the system would probably regard into the Gulf seeing the weekend. They gave tangible a 40 percent chance of becoming a tropical depression or a tropical storm by Friday.

Crews had ultimate to spend Wednesday and Thursday reinforcing with wed the reach few feet of the aid grotto that entrust be used to canvass mud thing the gusher further kill perceptible once further owing to whole. But BP put the hardship on hold and instead placed a temporary plug called a storm packer underground inside the tunnel, in case rightful has to epitomize outcast until the storm passes.

"What we didn't want to do is be in the middle of an alertness and potentially put the relief well at some risk," BP vice president Kent Wells said.

If the process crews are evacuated, it could betoken two weeks before they responsibility resume the whack to kill the well. That would upset BP's timetable, which called for finishing the relief tunnel by the end of July again plugging the blown-out purely by early August.